Sweaters of Gratitude
by Mantyke30
Summary: Norway looked forward to a peaceful spring day with nothing in mind but to relax. His hopes for a break from all the duties of a nation however was rudely disturbed by the insistent poking of a young boy. With a temporary charge to take care of and a greedy Dane to deal with, will he ever get his desired day off? ll Short multi-chapter fic
1. Chapter 1

Hey guys! I just recently finished an rp with someone sharing the same hetalia interest as me in omegle and though it is very hard to find a person willing to just go with the flow on the very first message you send ours has been so adorable I couldn't help but make a short fanfic about it. I eventually had to add more scenes to it but the main gist is there.

This will be a multi-chapter story but I think just around two or three. I'll see how it goes.

Hope you guys will enjoy it ^_^

Remember, Hetalia and its characters are all owned by Hidekaz Himaruya.

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><p><strong>Chapter 1<strong>

Norway looked towards the lake as a cool gentle wind from the snow-capped mountains blew through the meadow where he was laying down. The bright sunlight warms his body through the blue fleece sweater he has on for the day; a break from the usual thick coats and winter wear due to cold weather his country is known for every year. He also had a scarf to protect his neck but kept a matching bonnet inside his pocket in case it ever rained. He picked a good spot near the bank of the lake and checked it briefly for any rocks before settling down on the soft grass.

Butterflies and bees busied themselves with the native flora that had just begun to bloom and released sweet smelling fragrances in the area. Flowers in white, pink, purple and many others popped out of the lush green foliage. Tiny ripples dotted the lake's surface as the marine life subtly made its presence known to the world although there were no boats out to see them. It was a strange yet common sight to see things so peaceful where problems, though present in many places, cannot be sees so easily. Spring really does wonders for the Norwegian.

In fact, other than the beautiful scenery luck was on his side and brought over more perks that day.

No meetings to go to. No annoying Dane to grudgingly entertain. No bosses to meet up with. No obnoxious Dance to listen to. No environmental issues to think about. No seriously annoying Dane to deal with. No boisterous Danish laughter to contend with.

Nothing Danish related at all.

He smiled to himself at the thought, putting his arms behind his neck and closed his eyes. He didn't worry about anything attacking him other than some bird that might decide it was the right time to drop shit on him or somewhere near those lines. He was on his own to enjoy the view. It was one of the things he couldn't get tired of despite seeing it every day. He trained his ears to listen to the breeze, the leaves and faint sounds of life.

Then he heard shuffling nearby. He heard no sound that could be an animal so he shrugged it off as another civilian trying to find a good spot for fishing or on a stroll and kept his eyes closed. Who wouldn't want to go out and take a walk during a beautiful day like this?

The shuffling drew closer and soon he noticed a shadow behind his eyelids that blocked the sun's rays. He ignored it at first, perhaps the other was curious but he frowned when it decided to poke his arm repeatedly. Slightly annoyed, Norway opened his eyes only to stare at two huge green orbs framed with thick eyebrows that are looking down on him. They had a staring match for several moments before the other decided to speak.

"Mummy?" the boy asked.

Norway's eyebrows furrowed. "_Kva_?"

"Mummy!" he whined, a frown gracing his lips.

Norway slowly got up and dusted off his back for any grass that might have stuck to his clothes before turning back to the other person. He was merely a boy around seven or eight wearing a kid sized white polo shirt underneath a blue argyle knit sweater, dark blue pants and brown sneakers. His hair was light brown that curled into ram's horns on the sides and looked fluffy overall. If Norway would stand then he might be just below his hip. He leaned in a bit closer as he inspected the boy's face. The eyes and eyebrows looked so familiar it was creepy. In fact the boy's accent was even more familiar than his features. He was obviously not from around here.

"I am not your mummy." He told him, eventually standing up and checking his jeans if it was clean.

The boy let out another whine and tugged on his sweater. Norway sighed and crouched down to his level. "What do you want? Are you lost?"

He watched as the other tilted his head in confusion. He let out another sigh. Was this boy illiterate?

"Cookie."

He stared at him and continued to do so as the child raised his arms up. "Carry!" he demanded but without force; just a typical childish request. Norway blinked before bending down and carrying him. "I don't have a cookie with me right now though, sorry."

The boy pouted, bloating his cheeks but looked around quietly and completely forgetting about the pastry. Norway looked around as well, hoping to find his mother walking around searching for her son. But then he paused when he felt that gut feeling nations tend to feel when another nation was around. There was no one in the meadow besides him and the boy. Was this child the same as him? How he failed to notice that feeling he wouldn't know. The peace must have caught him off guard.

The boy looked back at him, a smile on his face as he placed his small hands on his cheeks. "Bunny." He said.

"I don't have a bunny either." replied Norway. The pout returned on the young face and poked the older nation on the nose. "Why?" he inquired.

Norway gently took his hand and pushed it away from his face. "Please don't do that. And it would be strange to be bringing around a bunny with me, right?"

He giggled and proceeded to pinch his cheeks, forcing it into a smile. "Name~?"

He shook his head and pushed the small hands away again. "Lukas."

The child smiled as if he was familiar with the name. His hand kept finding their way back onto the Norwegian's face, much to the other's displeasure. "Lu..kas. Noway?"

His eye twitched. He wasn't exactly the patient kind. But hearing his nation's name made him look at the child curiously. A smile appeared on his face and his eyes softened. "Nor-way. NoRway. But yes that's right."

The green orbs shined brightly at the sound of praise. "Mummy an' Norway an' R-Romanria!"

Norway's eyebrows arched. "Romania? You know Romania?" he asked him. Now he was truly curious and his suspicion was confirmed. If the child knew his nation and supposedly Romania then he has seen others like him and the child was also a nation. Judging by the boy's manner of speaking, height and naivety, he can only be a new country or more of a colony of someone.

The other nodded enthusiastically.

"I see… what's your name, _lille gutt_?" he asked while shifting the way he carried him to have a better hold.

He saw the other's forehead crease slightly, mentally scolding himself for speaking to a boy in Norwegian when he clearly had the knowledge that he was an English speaking nation. Understanding the first few words before whatever the older man mentioned, he gave him a wide smile. "Kiwi!" he declared.

"Kiwi, like the brown fruit?"

He young boy stared at him, clueless written all over his face.

"Let's see…I know I've heard of that somewhere else. Kiwi…kiwi…oh! Are you New Zealand?"

Hearing his name, New Zealand nodded even faster. "Uhuh! Aotearoa~!" he yelled. He was looking at the cross shaped pin on his hair and reached out for it, tugging on Norway's hair.

"H-Hey! N-No!" he said, pulling the child away from grabbing another fist full of his hair. "Kiwi? New Zealand? Ao..Ao-te-a-ro-a? You have a lot of names don't you? What does your mummy call you then hm?"

"Kiwi." The child stated simply. He gave him his signature pout and his right hand began to glow a dim blue light. He patted Norway's head, turning his light blond hair hot pink then began to giggle uncontrollably.

"What did you do?..." he asked, giving him a disappointed look while gazing at the pink locks on his face. "Wait…How did you even do that?!" He pointed at his hair while supporting the boy with one arm underneath his behind.

Through fits of giggles the child responded. "Mummy taught me! Colors! Lots and lots!"

Norway chuckled and ruffled his hair. "Who's your mummy?" He had a clue on who it might be but wanted to hear it from the child. So far he was only aware of three people that can conjure magic and he was one of them.

"Mummy Engwand!" came the loud reply before his sweater changed color from blue to neon green.

Norway grimaced and changed them back to their original colors with his own magic. "Engwand? Oh you mean England! I knew it. Though to teach someone as young as you this craft…I wonder what he was thinking. Magic is a dangerous thing and to allow a child to play around with it…"

New Zealand took an interest on his hair, a strange protruding curl specifically and tried to reach for it. Norway turned red and jerked his head back. "No Kiwi don't touch!" he told him. The younger nation blinked but smiled and took hold of his own hair curls, raising them up a bit. "Curls! Like mine!"

Norway smiled back and tapped his nose. "Cute. But don't touch mine okay? It's uh…sensitive."

He giggled again. "Norway play?" he asked.

"Play?" he asked as the child nodded.

New Zealand pointed to an empty space of air behind him still smiling. "Norway play with glowy fwends!" Norway raised an eyebrow and turned around. Sure enough there were a handful of glowing faeries behind him flying about, each emitting a different glow. Their tiny faces showed curiosity and awe as they cooed at the younger nation in his arms. Soon they were fluttering around them.

"You can see them. Well isn't that something!" he told him, reaching out to have a faerie land on his palm and brought it to the child's face where those green eyes widened with wonder. "Mummy's glowy friends!" he said.

Norway laughed and turned all of New Zealand's clothes red. "There." The child squealed with glee and turned Norway's clothes highlighter yellow. The faeries around them let out soft tinkling noises that passed off as laughter as they shielded their eyes. His clothes were awfully bright.

Norway laughed then spaced out for a moment, placing a hand to his lips and flustering. He hasn't laughed like that in a while. He heard a loud growl followed by a whine, taking his attention to look at New Zealand as the child placed his hands on his stomach.

"Are you hungry, Kiwi?" he asked. New Zealand nodded. "Cookies…"

Norway smiled at him fondly. "I can bake you some but then we have to go to my house. We can call your mummy from there." He took off his scarf with one hand and slowly wrapped it around the child and placed his bonnet on his head. Although it was spring it was still cold.

He allowed New Zealand to bid farewell to the faeries before carrying him back to his house but not without showing the child around. He trekked through the meadow and followed the footpath until he found the way that lead back to the city. They passed by multi colored houses by the waterfront, a mistake he regretted as he struggled to keep the child from changing their colors; keeping a safe distance from them. He also had to keep his hands from glowing every time he tried to do so.

New Zealand scanned everything he could see. He pointed in so many things like what kind of pastries was being served to a customer when they passed by a bakery and squealed loudly when he spotted a sheep with its owner walking the opposite direction. Norway soon stopped at a small kiosk to buy him a _skolebrød_ to munch on when he heard another growl, setting him down to get his wallet. When he turned around New Zealand was already talking to a Norwegian boy seated at the next shop.

He gave him the pastry and took him a few tries as New Zealand refused to leave his friend. After coaxing him for ten minutes New Zealand reluctantly waved goodbye to the boy and continued their journey back but Norway allowed him to walk on his own while he ate. Soon they reached a manor not too far from the marina, walking up to a line of trees a few blocks away.

It was a two story structure mostly wood paneled with weather proof coating and numerous windows were placed to let natural light in. A short flight of steps lead up to the white Grecian styled door lined with intricately designed black iron gates. Two chimneys jutted out from the roof for the winter that reminded him to replenish his stock of firewood if the night grew chilly. The manor was fairly small compared to the other nation's homes but it had enough rooms for each of the Nordics in case they had any reason to bother him and needed a place to crash; especially a certain Dane who was drunk more often than not.

Norway unlocked the front door and let the child go inside before he did and closed it. He led New Zealand to the living room and made him sit on the couch and removed the scarf and bonnet and hung them on nearby coat rack. It was warmer inside than it was outside and if he didn't feel like going through the trouble of setting up the fireplace then the central heating system connected to the rooms would do the trick. "Can you wait for me here while I get my things ready? I'll let you help me bake when I'm done." He said.

New Zealand nodded and received a gentle pat on the head before Norway went to the kitchen adjacent to the room he was in. New Zealand got off the couch and curiously went around looking at pictures, touching the soft rug on the floor, poking through thick photo albums and bouncing on the other chairs. He eventually got bored and wandered to the long hallway.

There were a few portraits and paintings on the walls but he ventured further, turning a corner or two until he stopped at the farthest door without heading upstairs. It looked like the ones he just passed but something inside was quietly calling out to him. Strangely enough however the door did not have a doorknob. He placed a hand on the wooden surface and his eyes widened as his hand glowed and hearing a sound like a latch unlocking itself then pushed the door open.

The room didn't look as strange as it did outside. A curved flight of stairs brought him down to the center of the circular room where a large glowing blue circle was carved onto the cemented floor. It continued to radiate on its own and became the source of light with the lack of windows and lamps. Candle holders with half melted candles were propped up on the side.

The walls were painted grey and covered with bookcases chuck full of worn books, oddly shaped rocks with glowing carvings on them in cases and vials of varied shapes and sizes. Some were filled with liquids and even glowed. There was a smaller circular indentation on the floor filled with ash and burnt remains of wood. A pewter cauldron sat on a table with an opened book and more vials.

It was chilly there, New Zealand shivering as he made his way down with only his curiosity urging him. Despite how it was locked the room was surprisingly clean. Dust may have settled on top of the shelves but cobwebs were presumably removed and the books were neatly organized. He stood on tip toes to take a peek at the book but could barely see anything. He tried to drag the book down and pulled but gasped as the cauldron was knocked over and covered his ears as it fell noisily onto the floor.

Norway's head shot up from cracking eggs at the sound of falling metal. His eyes narrowed, washing his hands and removing his apron before checking the living room to find it empty and an album opened on the floor. He returned it to its proper place and immediately turned on his heel back to the hallway, opening every single room he came across before heading to the one where he conducted his magic sessions after finding the rest untouched. Worry wormed its way into his gut when he saw door slightly opened from a few paces away and opened it, making New Zealand jump when he was picking up the metal bowl.

"New Zealand what are you doing here?" he asked, modulating his voice so that his annoyance won't be heard, jogging down the steps and helping him put back the cauldron onto the table. The child looked down in shame, fiddling with his shirt. "N-Nothing…" he muttered. "Mummy has a room like this too...with the glowy circle an' everything!"

Norway sighed and crouched down to his level. "I bet he does. But that doesn't mean you can go in here on your own and definitely without permission. It's not safe for children like you to be here, okay Kiwi?" He told him.

New Zealand looked at him sadly and nodded. "I'm sorry…" he muttered. Norway tilted his chin up and mustered up a smile for him. "Don't be sad you didn't know any better. Now, what were you trying to get earlier?"

The boy let out a soft "eep!" and shook his head. "I-it's okay I don't need it."

Norway raised an eyebrow at him but decided to let it go. New Zealand turned to watch the soft light that emanated from the magic circle, kneeling down to take a closer look. "Mummy has this too but it doesn't glow…only sometimes and he wears a funny cape and plays with a stick." he told him. Norway smiled at the thought of England using a wand of sorts to do magic.

He traced the markings between the middle and outer circles slowly with his fingers. The magic circle glowed brighter and sent out a few sparks. New Zealand flinched when one crackled near him and he stood, backing away. Norway observed it curiously but went to soothe the nervous child. "It's alright those things are normal."

New Zealand trembled and moved away from it. He backed up into one of the book cases and made a few books topple. One flask with a swirling mass inside teetered off the shelf and broke into shards of glass on the floor, releasing the dark matter into the air. He waited for it to dissipate but it swirled in midair and skirted around the room. Norway followed it with his eyes in alarm.

"Kiwi, come here right now!" he called; sending sparks of magic to contain it but kept missing as it zipped past before the spell took effect. New Zealand tried to run towards him but the entity was fast, darting in between them that prevented the child from reaching him.

The entity zipped around the room, a dark aura searching for an exit. It rammed itself into Norway, knocking him over. He grunted when he fell on his butt, glaring at it. He tried to trap him with a spell but the orb dodged it. It cornered New Zealand between two book cases, the child covering in fear as tears appeared in the corners of his eyes.

"L-Lukas!" he cried, whimpering.

"Stay away from him!" demanded Norway, eyes glaring daggers while his hands glowed with powerful magic. The dark entity circled around New Zealand then sped towards the older nation to attack again but he sidestepped, dodging another collision then went to protect the boy. The entity crackled and sizzled as if it was angry and descended onto Kiwi, enveloping him like a dark mist.

The child went rigid; his body shook from the cold that radiated from the dark aura. Norway thought hard for a counter spell then surrounded himself in blue light, channeling his energy to him. He slowly made his way to him and entered the mist; hugging New Zealand's shivering form. He felt the cold rushing to him too, the back of his hair rising and he let out a shaky breath before quickly picking the child up and moved to the center of the magic circle.

Norway muttered a chant under his breath and the circle responded to the magic by glowing brightly. He felt the cold leaving his body and the warmth returning. The mist lifted itself and reverted to its original form of a floating dark mass that tried to escape but found itself trapped within the confines of the magic circle, pushing against the invisible barrier. Norway held New Zealand close with one hand while he used his free hand to blast the dark entity apart with a ball of magic energy, watching its essence break apart and finally disappear.

The light dimmed as he sank to his knees, holding the British colony close. His skin crawled and he made a mental note to check on what he's actually keeping in those glass containers before checking on the boy. New Zealand looked fine but was unconscious in his arms. His breathing was normal and there were no marks or after effects anywhere on his exposed skin.

Norway relaxed slightly and stood, walking up the stairs and locking the door; fortifying the seal with stronger magic to kept even magical outsiders like New Zealand from coming in without his help. He walked down the corridor on the way and passed by a wall mirror. He stopped to stare at their reflection, the young colony in his arms asleep and him looking disheveled.

"What am I doing…?" he thought to himself, looking down on New Zealand.

"What the hell are you doing?" said another voice, making Norway look up to the young man in front of him with his arms crossed. He didn't even hear anyone approach.

"Iceland, when did you get here?" he asked his younger brother.

The puffin on his head crowed.

"And you too Mr. Puffin." he added.

"Just a few minutes ago, the door was unlocked. I made sure it was bolted before I went looking for you. Who's that?" Iceland had an annoyed expression on his face, pointing to the child as he eyed him.

Norway placed a finger to his lips to tell him to be quiet and led him to the living room where the other reluctantly followed. He gently laid down the boy on the couch, placing a pillow under his head then grabbed a stored blanket from the side table's cabinet and draped it over him. He moved them both away to the window before Iceland spoke.

"Now will you tell me?" he asked, slightly jealous that Norway was taking of another child he didn't know of but kept it to himself.

"He's one of England's colonies. I found him, rather he found me, while I was by the lake. He was lost and I told him that I'd help him get home. He fell asleep on the way here." replied Norway, deciding not to share what just happened a while ago.

Iceland nodded. "He has a lot of those. I'm not surprised that he managed to let one wander off. Does he have a name?"

"He has three actually. His nation name is New Zealand. He told me England calls him Kiwi then I think his native name was Ao-something. It's hard to remember that one. England is careless for losing him. He was scared and tried looking for him. I don't know how far he'd gone before he saw me." Norway looked outside with a frown.

"I haven't heard of a nation like that. He must be from the southern hemisphere." Iceland gazed at the sleeping form. "…Can we keep him?"

Norway shrugged. "I don't know… England would obviously want him back. And it's not like he's a lost puppy without an address and a collar, Ice."

Iceland snorted. "If he did then wouldn't we receive calls from him by now? It's not that hard to call everyone. For all you know he isn't even looking for him like most owners."

Norway turned to look at his brother, eyes narrowing. "Stop referring to him as a lost pet. Maybe he's just caught up with something. What are you even trying to say, Ice?"

"Isn't it obvious? Why don't we just go ahead and claim the little guy? He already seems to like you enough. We can teach him the Nordic way… plus I can teach him to call me big brother." He said. "England was careless. Hasn't he heard the saying 'finders keepers?' "

Norway rolled his eyes and went back to check up on him, placing a hand on his forehead and was relieved to feel it was cool. "..Colonies don't work that way, Ice. He's just lost his way in an unfamiliar country. You can't just use his inexperience to trick him into something he doesn't understand."

"Isn't that what scammers do to tourists and what nations do when they want colonies?" Iceland stated simply, cracking a smile.

Norway fell silent as he watched New Zealand sleep. The child curled up and hugged the blanket close to him. "We're not like the rest of them"

"Aren't we? Just admit it Lukas. You want him too. Barely anyone can resist a chance like this." His brother said, walking to his side.

Norway glared at him then shrugged again. "Maybe I do, maybe I don't. But that doesn't change anything. I made him a promise to help him reunite with England."

"Promises are meant to be broken. If it wasn't meant then it would eventually will be."

"Since when were you this negative, Ice?"

Mr. Puffin flapped his wings and crowed again, flying off his master's head and perched on top of the couch to watch the newcomer.

"I am not being negative, Lukas. I learnt that through experience. You're giving up that promise to give him a better future." he said.

"Stop trying to bait me, Ice. I haven't decided whether I want to anyway!" said Norway as he tried to block his brother's trap.

Iceland smirked. "Oh come on Lukas even Mr. Puffin can read you like an open book. You said it yourself; you want him for your own. I'll be glad to help. What can be more fun than teaching the new kid about our way of life instead of England's? If he becomes a Nordic then we have someone to spy for us in the south. I can get Denmark and the others-"

Norway's eyes hardened and yanked Iceland's collar to him, hissing. "Don't even think about telling Denmark! Are you insane?! Have you forgotten how Denmark was when it came to colonizing others?!"

Iceland's eyes widened as he remembered how scary the Dane was. He felt Norway's grip on his clothes tighten and tremble. He raised his arms up in surrender. "How could I? Fine I won't tell him! Now could you let me go?"

"Forget about telling the other two either!"

A small groan caught their attention as New Zealand stirred, opening his eyes slowly. Norway released him, apologizing as Iceland fixed his clothes while he sat on the couch. "Hey there, Kiwi." He said softly. The New Zealander sat up, blinking the sleep from his eyes as he looked around. "I-Is it gone, Norway?" the child asked, voice shaky.

Iceland raised a questioning eyebrow at Norway but was ignored. "Are you alright? Do you feel better?" he asked him. The child nodded and crawled onto his lap then finally noticed Iceland. "Kia ora." He told him.

Iceland stared at him. Norway chuckled at his confused face. "I think that means Hi in his native tongue, Ice. Go on, talk to him."

New Zealand smiled at him expectantly. Iceland gave him a blank look. "Join the Nordics." He said bluntly.

"You're stupid sometimes, Ice." remarked Norway. The child gave him the same confused look he had earlier.

Iceland shrugged. "What? You told me to talk to him and I did. Join the Nordics we have axes and freeze-your-ass weather every year."

"Not like that, idiot."

"Lukas, I'm hungry." The boy whined.

Iceland grinned at him. "First name basis now huh? What's next, he'll start calling you 'big brother' too?"

"Big brother Lukas!" the boy quipped.

"He learns fast, I like him." commented Iceland

The doorbell rang and a series of loud banging sounds came from the front door just as Norway opened his mouth for a retort. He sighed and lifted New Zealand up from his lap and left him with Iceland to answer it. Iceland felt the awkward atmosphere creep in as he had a staring contest with New Zealand.

Norway walked up to the door as the visitor outside continued to assault his door with his fist and pushing the doorbell repeatedly. He clicked his tongue, annoyed, and took a peek from the peep hole. His blood froze when he saw the grinning face of the person outside.

Denmark.

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><p><strong>(translation)<strong>

Kva – "what" in Norwegian

Liten gutt – "little boy" in Norwegian

Skolebrød – Norwegian pastry that looks like a yummy muffin with icing on top *w*

Hæ – "hello" in Icelandic


	2. Chapter 2

Hello friends! Truly sorry for the late update TT u TT I just started college and was swamped by shit so I didn't really have time to write. This is a fairly short chapter though so I also apologize for that but I have another one coming up so it doesn't end here ahahaha!

Hope you guys enjoy this chapter :3

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><p><strong>Chapter 2<strong>

Norway swallowed thickly as he watched the Dane impatiently knocking on his door. Of all the days that he decides to visit he comes over today. He peered outside again, observing him. He didn't look drunk so may be that was a good thing but he was moving around in a weird way.

"I know you're in there Norge, I can see you checking me out through the peep hole! C'mon seriously open up!" the Dane exclaimed, pouting at him and tapping on the small glass peep hole on his side of the door. One of his hands was cupping his nether regions.

"I am not checking you out, _jævel_!" he yelled then swore under his breath for responding.

Denmark grinned through his discomfort and laughed loudly. "Ha! I knew you were in there! Now open the door man or I'll ram it down!" he threatened while bouncing up and down and biting his lip.

Norway grudgingly opened the door slowly but the Dane barged in, shifting from one foot to the other and glaring at him. "Dude I needed to use your bathroom and you took that long to let me in?! Jeez!" he snapped. He immediately turned and went down the hall towards the living room without looking back saying, "You got a restroom this way right?!"

"Wait! Don't go in there!" yelled Norway, running after Denmark and yanking his coat back before he got to the doorway. The other yelped and clamped his legs close.

Denmark looked at him incredulously. "Do you want me to pee on your floor or what?! This is the closest room with a bathroom so let go, Norge!" He slapped his hand off and went past him but Norway blocked his path, arms spread apart across the door frame.

"I-I just finished varnishing my furniture! It stinks in there I prefer my guests to take the bathroom down the hall to the right." He said, trying to hide the nervousness in his voice.

Denmark gave him a funny look and sniffed the air. "I don't smell anything. Knock it off, Norge it's not like you even care if I inhaled something bad or not; you'd actually enjoy it. Now move before I piss on your carpet; I can get it to streak from here to there if I wanted to." Norway paled then whipped his head behind him before he got any closer to warn Iceland before his eyes widened in shock.

The living room was empty.

What…

Denmark pried him off the door frame and practically ran to the living room's bathroom; slamming the door shut. Norway's eyes shifted from every corner of the area. The pillow was propped back up and he assumed the missing blanket was properly stored. The couch didn't even look like it was used a few minutes ago.

There was no sign of his brother and New Zealand being there at all.

Thank the gods for brothers who could read the atmosphere and their choice to save your skin if they wanted to.

He heard the sound of a toilet flushing and the faucet being used a moment later. Now that he somehow managed to keep the boy a secret for a little while longer, Norway was faced with another problem other than the boisterous Dane: finding out where they were hiding in the manor.

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><p>Iceland pulled New Zealand along, looking around for the best place to hide. The young nation was scratching his eyes, still sleepy from his nap while trying to keep up with him. They couldn't hear what was transpiring between the two but there is no doubt that Denmark would soon realize that they were not the only ones in Norway's house. Iceland didn't wait to find out and forced the colony to get up before Norway opened the front door.<p>

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><p>Denmark came out of the bathroom, sighing in relief. "Oh man I thought I was going to wet myself!" he exclaimed, laughing loudly. Norway grimaced, crossing his arms. "Now that you're done I guess you should be on your way to wherever you were supposed to be." He told him.<p>

The Dane snorted, making his way past him. "I was on my way to see Sve but it can wait. It's been a while since I came to visit ya." He went to the kitchen seeing the ingredients on the table. The other left it when he looked for New Zealand and didn't have the chance to set them aside.

"Are you going to have a get together or something? You don't usually bake for yourself..." he questioned while popping chocolate chips into his mouth.

"Y-yeah… Iceland is coming over… And don't eat those, I need them!" said Norway, glaring at him.

Denmark grinned cheekily at him before frowning, looking around as he felt the feeling of another presence. "Hey is anyone staying here right now?"

Norway swallowed, cursing internally. He did expect him to notice one way or another. He kept his face blank though, trying not to be obvious. "Must be the faeries… or trolls… they sneak in here when they feel like it… like someone I know…" he said, looking pointedly at him.

Denmark narrowed his eyes and left the kitchen, walking down the hallway. The feeling was there but it doesn't tell him if he was close or not just the fact that there were more than two people in the house. He could tell something was up but Odin knows Norway won't tell him. He opted to find out instead of asking for answers that the other will never give.

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><p>There were plenty of places to enter but few to hide in. Iceland checked every room but the only thing big enough to hide them both was the wardrobes. He heard footsteps approaching and with limited options he entered the room and climbed into the wardrobe. New Zealand squirmed, frowning how uncomfortable it was in there. It was stuffy too. Iceland covered the boy's mouth and signaled him to keep quiet for now. After all, he had no way of knowing when they could come out.<p>

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><p>Norway followed him, looking for any sign of his brother or the young colony. There was no use hiding it from him and now he only hoped some divine assistance would save his sorry ass. He walked right into Denmark who stopped in his tracks, gazing over his shoulder with a cold stare.<p>

"You know I don't like it when you keep stuff from me, right Lukas?" he told him.

Norway felt a shiver run down his spine but rolled his eyes. "I am well aware thank you. But I am telling you that this presence… it's magical. That is all there is to it. What are you even looking for?"

Denmark was about to respond when they heard a bumping noise from inside the room they were standing next to, both heads turning towards the sound. He raised an eyebrow at him then pushed him to the side, opening the door. It was a normal guest room consisting of a wardrobe, a bed, cabinets, a decent sized telly and its own bathroom. Another sound came from the wardrobe and he had no second thoughts of approaching it.

Norway stared after him, his insides churning. He doesn't know what was in there but if he reacted then he just gave himself away. He watched as the Dane yanked the doors open…

…and was greeted by fluffy coats.

Denmark blinked and looked inside while being oblivious to the tiny glowing ball and whizzed past him. The tiny faerie flew towards Norway and made small tinkling noises. Norway silently shushed the little creature, gesturing for it to leave the room. It was reluctant to go but flew out immediately after Denmark slammed the wardrobe doors in frustration.

"All right Norge what's going on?! Who's here with you?!" he growled, stalking towards him.

Norway steeled his nerves, glaring back at him. "I told you it was a faerie! She was trapped in there but obviously you didn't see her because you're too dense to see them in general!"

Iceland could hear their voices from the adjacent room, petting New Zealand's hair as he started whimpering. The other voice was scaring him and Lukas sounded angry too.

Denmark grabbed his shirt and lifted him from the ground, snarling at him. "I'm done playing, Norge. Faerie or not, there is another nation here that you aren't telling me about. I can feel them. You've been acting weird since I came here and that tells me whoever this is, we haven't met. It's best to tell me before I find out that you're lying."

Norway felt his blood go cold in the other's grip. There's a limit to how civil Denmark would be and he's pushing it. He gritted his teeth. There's no way he's selling the kid out. A knock on the door forced Denmark to drop him. Iceland opened the door and gave them a questioning look, hair messy as if he just woken up. "What the hell are you two yelling about?" he asked in annoyance, yawning.

They both stared at him in surprise, Denmark's mouth hung open.

"I-Iceland… when did you get here?" his brother asked but his eyes was screaming something else.

Iceland ignored his gaze, switching to an annoyed look. "I went through the back and decided to sleep in your room. Sorry if I came earlier than the time I told you…I was dead tired when I got here." he explained.

Norway stole a glance at Denmark, the other scrutinizing the nation in front of him. With one swoop, the Dane's fist collided with his cheek, the impact sending him sprawling onto the floor. Iceland's eye widened and he ran to stand in between them, glaring at the blond.

"Are you insane?! What the hell was that for?!" he yelled, Mr. Puffin crowing angrily.

The Dane cracked his fist and eyed him, a silent warning, before he left without saying another word, the front door slamming shut a few moments later. Iceland waited before turning and helping his brother onto his feet, his cheek bright red. "That looks nasty…" he commented.

Norway shook his head, cupping his cheek. "Where is he?" he muttered, not wanting to aggravate the sore spot by moving his cheek too much.

"You mean Kiwi? He's hiding. Go get some ice on that and I'll go get him." said Iceland, turning to get the young colony.

Norway nodded and went to the front door, bolting it before heading to the kitchen to make an ice pack. The moment it touched his cheek he winced. His heart was still racing from earlier when he thought he actually managed to find them. Then he got himself in a Danish death grip before Iceland came and gave a very convincing alibi. In exchange for being rescued, he took a punch to the face.

Stupid Dane.

Iceland came with New Zealand in tow, the young nation gasping and running towards him with a frown on his face. He looked shaken up but he could see the worry in his eyes. "A-Are you okay, big brother?" he asked.

Norway looked at him sadly. Hearing it now from his lips doesn't feel right anymore. "I'm fine… nothing I can't handle. How about you? Are you alright?"

The child nodded, the worried look changed into an angry one. "He's scary… but he hurt you. He's mean! I don't like him!"

It made the Norwegian chuckle, petting his head. "He's nice sometimes. Don't be too hard on him when you haven't met him. He was just angry. I'll let him blow off that hot air for now."

Iceland scoffed, putting some pastries in the oven to warm them up. "Just angry?" he questioned.

Norway glared at him. "Not the right time, Ice." he said, warning in his tone.

The oven beeped and Iceland wore mittens to bring out the hot plate and setting it down on the table. He brought out some juice and poured him some too. He helped New Zealand on the chair and gave him one of each while Norway massaged his cheek slowly as Iceland went to stand next to him.

"It's not safe for him to be here anymore…" he told him out of the young nation's earshot, watching as the child happily ate the pastry.

"Sad to say but you're right. Who knows when that idiot would come back." said Iceland. "Do we call England to pick him up?"

His brother shook his head. "I am wary of my telephone lines at the moment. I'll personally bring New Zealand back home."

They both looked up when things got quiet and noticed New Zealand stopped eating, his head lowered and his lip quivered. Norway frowned, walking to his side and crouching next to him so that they were on eye level. "Is everything okay?" he asked softly.

New Zealand gave him a side glance, pursing his lips. "D-Did he hurt you because of me?"

His frowned deepened. "No. He was angry at me. It's nothing you have to worry about Kiwi."

The southern nation looked at him skeptically, and Norway realized that although he was a child he is still a nation just like him. His green eyes held understanding and like Denmark, he isn't easily fooled. It's as if he aged a few decades after they met one another hours before when he was hopelessly childish, distracted by the faeries and magic. Perhaps he has to reassess how he views this nation.

"I could hear him and big brother yelling. H-He was looking for me, right?" he asked.

Norway sighed and gave in, slowly nodding. "His name is Denmark, self-proclaimed leader of the Nordics. He could be nice if he wanted to, but he could also be very dangerous that's why Iceland tried to hide you from him. This is a bad time for colonies to go around by themselves. You're lucky you found me instead."

New Zealand nodded though he doesn't really understand what he meant by 'dangerous.' He looked at his half eaten pastry before going back to Norway. "Big brother, I think I should go back to mummy…" he said, eyes downcast again. He felt he was causing his new friends trouble, especially Norway.

Norway nodded but felt the atmosphere turn gloomy. The child was clearly upset and he didn't want that. He smiled; ruffling his hair and making him face him. "Tell you what, I'll help you find England if you help me bake cookies." he said, gesturing to the ingredients on the table.

New Zealand smiled widely and nodded. "Can big brother Icey help too?"

Iceland blinked then chuckled, grabbing a tray. "Call me Emil. And I wouldn't mind. Not that Lukas could stop me."

Norway rolled his eyes, standing and handing out an apron to Iceland and found a smaller one for Kiwi, helping him wear his by tying it securely behind him. Setting up a low platform so that New Zealand can reach over the table, he placed the bowl in front of him to add in the ingredients while he made Iceland do the hard work by mixing them together.

Iceland grunted while stirring, shooting a glare at Norway. "Don't you have an egg beater for this?" he asked.

Norway grinned at him as he helped Kiwi crack eggs. "I don't know what you're talking about. Now keep mixing."

* * *

><p><strong>(translation)<strong>

Jævel – "bastard"


	3. Chapter 3

Truly sorry for the delay _ college is hard and I had to take a mandatory 6 weeks to tackle prerequisite courses before the school year starts. But I finally got this last chapter up! Thank you for those who take the time to read my stories :3 I apologize for any errors even after sweeping through this a couple of times already.

Enjoy!

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter 3<strong>

"Are you sure you don't want me to come along?" asked Iceland, watching his brother put on his shoes. The Icelander had a passive look on his face but deep down he was still worried that the Dane could still be around the area waiting; though that would be really disturbing if he camped out the entire time just to know if they were lying.

Then again this is Denmark and he definitely left the manor in a bad mood.

Norway shook his head, picking up New Zealand and holding him securely. "I don't want anything to happen to you, Ice." He replied, walking out the door. It was already late in the afternoon and everything was still as perfect as a day could be. The sun was high, the birds chirped and the same spring breeze rustled the trees. So many things have happened in the span of a few hours, both events gave him enough stress to last for the entire week and he still had to get the boy safely back home.

"…bye bye big brother Icey! Let's play together again, okay?!" the young nation called out, flailing his short arms and a big smile on his face as he was carried away. Iceland smiled a bit, returning the wave.

"…You can bet on it, Kiwi!"

It felt… nice to be called a big brother. He wondered if that was what Lukas felt too while he constantly asked him to call him the same way. He made a mental note to humor him sometime given that he returns in one piece.

He slapped his cheek lightly. Now was definitely not the time to be thinking of such things.

* * *

><p>The two of them returned to the same area where they met near the lake, both pairs of eyes looking for anyone that could be the Englishman in question. Norway frowned when there was no one around and even he felt that there were no other nations within the vicinity besides them. New Zealand looked down, lip trembling. "….maybe mummy went home without me…" he mumbled, feeling sad for being left behind.<p>

Norway frowned and ruffled his hair, smiling. "…we still haven't checked the other side… maybe he's still around there. If not, I don't mind giving him a call. Which reminds me… are you staying at a hotel here?"

New Zealand blinked before nodding, vaguely remembering England telling him that he would be out the whole day for a meeting, and also wandering further away from where he was supposed to be in the hopes of not being found by his playmate. Eventually he got lost and found Norway afterwards. "I-I think..?"

Norway internally sighed but nodded in understanding. Perhaps it was best to call instead of wasting time. He shifted New Zealand onto one arm supporting his bum and used his free hand to grab his cellphone from his pocket and went through his contacts. New Zealand wrapped his arms around his neck, getting bored, until a figure caught his attention from afar. It was walking towards them and he could see that the newcomer was blond but struggled to place his face that was slowly becoming clearer. "..Big brother someone is coming." He told him, still staring.

Norway turned to the general direction of where he was looking and immediately paled, becoming as white as the snow-capped mountains of the land. There was no doubt about who it was, the build, the blond hair tousled in strange directions, the same agitated look that he had on his face when he left. He was frozen in place as the unanswered call ended, just waiting for Denmark to get closer, the other soon materializing within a few feet in front of them.

"Whatcha got there, Norge?" the Dane asked, eyes narrowed as he stared down at them.

"..A child." The other replied, protectively turning the child away from view. New Zealand peeked at the newcomer shyly, holding onto Norway's shirt.

"I can see that…" said Denmark, moving closer to the kid. "Hey there kiddo! I'm Matthias. What's your name?" Norway didn't move but kept his guard up, never taking his sights off him.

"N-New Z-Zealand…" the child stuttered, looking at him more.

His eyebrows shot up and a grin broke through his scowl. "Aah~ so you're one of those colonies eh? Funny, I have a province called 'Zealand' back at my place. The Netherlands has one too but then again your name sounds closer to mine. Isn't that something…" he mused, reaching to pet the child. Norway glared at him and moved away, keeping a distance between them.

The Dane didn't take offense at the action, instead looking calm and cheerful. "..Say, wanna join us? You'll get to play with Norge a lot~ won't that be fun?" he told him, his voice coaxing and loud like how it usually was.

"Back off, Denmark." warned Norway, eyes narrowing at him.

The Dane waved him off. "Relax Norge…" he replied, sending him another sharp glance.

"…the Nordic club?" the child asked, looking less nervous. Perhaps he was part of the club too.

Denmark threw a questioning look at Norway, wondering how the child knew about it. Only Iceland called them that, and if Norway just happens to pick up the child while he was out then there was little chance of him meeting Iceland if the puffin-lover stayed at the manor. He smiled brightly at the child nonetheless, giving him a thumb's up. "Yes, that~! Sounds fun right?"

"..with big brother Icey and Lukas, right?" New Zealand asked, eyes sparkling now. Icey invited him to join earlier but he wanted to make sure it was the same one. The man sure looks nice yet he was curious why Lukas was looking at him like that.

Oh so the child did meet Iceland. The list of possibilities was quick to shorten in his mind and he already accepted the fact that this young colony was the presence he felt back in the manor and Norway had the nerve to lie and so did Iceland. But he didn't say anything, biting his tongue and restraining his fist. Not yet…

He laughed boisterously. "…aren't you cute. But of course! You can meet Fin and Sve too. The whole crew… plus you! We can bake stuff and you can help us out building toys!"

"He has to go home now though…" Norway cut in.

"Oh?" Denmark smirked, "And where is that?" he asked. Norway glared at him. "None of your business." he said, starting to walk away, but was quickly stopped by Denmark, grabbing his arm.

New Zealand stared at him but smiled. "I'm goin' home to mummy Engwand! And big brother Lukas is gonna help me!" he exclaimed happily.

"..big brother…" the Dane muttered, his grip tightening on the Norwegian's arm. "But don't you want to join our club first?"

The child frowned. "..I-I…I want…but I have'ta see mummy first…" he told him.

Norway gritted his teeth, yanking his arm free. "That's enough Denmark. We're going NOW." He said with finality, walking away from him. New Zealand looked back and began to whimper, seeing the Dane's face contort with anger, running up to block their way.

"I'm not done talking to him, Norge. The kid wants to join and I'm making sure he does." He growled.

"I know what you're planning to do. If you do that, I will be on the child's side and rebel against you." He snarled, turning New Zealand away from him again.

"You wouldnt dare." he glared. Norway put the child down and covered him, staring straight up at Denmark. "I would. He's not yours to take."

New Zealand hugged Norway's leg, looking at Denmark in fear. "...L-Lukas I wanna go home…" he whimpered.

Without any more doubts, he punched the other due to anger. Norway stumbled back a bit, trying his best to not stumble on the child. He wiped the side of his lip as blood ran down. He didnt fight back. New Zealand's eyes widened and backed away. "..b-big brother!"

"You're stupid, Lukas! Here's our chance to widen our territory and what do you do?! Don't you hear him? He already thinks of you as his big brother what are you waiting for?!" the Dane barked.

"He belongs to England, Denmark! Do you plan on raging war against an empire?!" Norway snapped back.

"If we do it together, we'll win!" he snapped back. "Don't you see? We can use him. He doesn't know squat about how the world works and this is our chance to make him see our side."

"It's not worth it, Denmark! God, dont you ever think?!" he yelled. "You're insane! I'm not going to let you take him."

Denmark threw another punch at him but this time he dodged. Not that it helped as the other continued his attack, catching him by the stomach. Norway coughed out, clutching where he was hit but always nudged New Zealand back, away from him. An elbow collided with his side and a punch to the face knocked him off his feet, falling hard on the ground. Pain rushed across his cheek but he still had the child in mind, casting a weak spell to blow the Dane back a few feet.

New Zealand was tearing up now, terrified. Denmark was no longer the kind and happy nation mere minutes ago and it wasn't long before he realized that he was just like the others England warned him about; the ones who want to take over his nation.

Denmark grunted but shrugged off the spell, stalking towards them. "I know you can do better than that, Norge. C'mon… Hit me!" he snarled.

Norway felt his throat run dry. He could cast a stronger spell, but if he did, who knows how Denmark would be after he manage to return New Zealand to England. He was still under the Dane's control after all, so instead he kept forcing him back, bursts of wind preventing him to come any closer.

His eyes flashed and before Norway can hit him with another spell he lunged, out of the gale's way and grabbed the other's arm, launching him a few feet away and watching him fall with a loud thud. Norway gasped, the wind getting knocked out of his lungs. Now Denmark stood between him and New Zealand.

He watched as Denmark walked towards the boy, slightly struggling to get up. The child quivered under his stare. "Looks like it's just you and me kid…" he told him.

New Zealand looked up at him, then to Norway. He saw him shake his head and he nodded, returning to face Denmark with a defiant expression. "Y-You hurt, Lukas! I don't like you! I don't wanna join your club if you're in it!" he yelled, small fists balled up.

Denmark snorted. "So what kid? Do you think everyone else is nicer than me? Everyone's going to sugarcoat every single piece of crap they'll tell you, including England and you fell for it. Who's to say Norway isn't the same. He's one of us. I'm just teaching him a lesson. Now c'mere!"

New Zealand ducked when Denmark tried to grab him, running to Norway's side. He stood in front of him to protect him though he was still trembling. "L-Leave us alone! Or…Or I'm telling Engwand!" he yelled at him.

Denmark growled at him, folding his sleeves up. "Yeah right. You don't even know where he is. You're in my territory kid so don't push your luck.

He felt a hand on his shoulder and Norway stood up, glaring at the Dane.

Denmark snarled threateningly but his conviction disappeared when Norway's hand glowing a deep red, a ball of energy swirling on his palm. He was breathing heavily, a bit roughed up and had a busted lip but he glared at him. "You…heard him…Matthias. He already knows who you really are… I have no doubt, that even if you do take him… England will find out. And this little boy won't stop trying to get away from you. So just drop it and save me the effort of knocking you out cold. I'm not holding back anymore." To prove his point a casted a spell but missed him only a few inches away, hitting the ground behind him that left a smoking crater.

He gritted his teeth but eyed the spell warily. He was well aware of Norway's magical capabilities and it wasn't the first time he was at the receiving end of it. He grunted, running a hand through his unruly hair. "Tch fine… I ain't letting you go because I'm worried about whatever you're going to attack me with… I'm just giving up the chase. The kid's barely useful anyway… scrawny and I bet he gets pushed around where he comes from. But I'm not letting you or Iceland off the hook just yet…be thankful I didn't bring my axe..." and with that he left, turning his back on them and trudging off muttering curses.

Norway let out a sigh of relief, allowing his legs to buckle and he fell to his knees. He was tired from using magic and the beating. New Zealand approached him and whimpered, holding onto his sleeve. "..b-big brother… are you okay?" he said, looking really worried about him.

Norway forced a smile and nodded, taking a breather before slowly getting back up on his feet and picked the child up again. His body was still sore but he still had a job to do. The boy struggled, slightly alarmed. "..n-no! I can walk on my own! I'm heavy! You have'ta rest!" he told him, not wanting to become a burden for him.

Eventually he was set down, a hand ruffling his hair a bit and a kind smile still on his lips. "..Don't worry about me I'm alright…" he reassured him, holding the reluctant boy's hand as they walked together. New Zealand stopped on his tracks, making Norway looked at him curiously as his eyes were glued to the ground.

"…big brother… maybe… I should go on my own now…" he mumbled, a hand playing with his shirt.

"…it's dangerous to go around by yourself kiwi…" he told him, slightly concerned for him.

New Zealand faced him, tears at the corners of his eyes. "….but… you're always getting hurt when I'm around…" he blubbered, sniffling.

Norway sighed and kneeled in front of him, wiping his cheeks. "…don't worry about me _lillebror_. I promised to bring you home and I will, like a good big brother. Don't cry okay?" he told him softly.

The child sniffled but nodded, giving him a watery smile. He chuckled and got up, holding his hand again. "…we haven't looked at the other side of the city… maybe the hotel you're staying in is over there." He said, walking with him.

* * *

><p>It wasn't long until they crossed a bridge to exit the meadow and onto the concrete sidewalk. There were a few hotels here and there and they checked each one, looking for the building that the boy would recognize.<p>

New Zealand yawned, obviously tired but he kept going, ambling along with Norway. The older nation had had a frown on his face after they passed the third hotel, quietly wondering if the kid even knew where they were staying. He allowed his thoughts to drift for a moment, looking at the shop windows that sold sweaters. That light blue one looked really nice…

He tightened his hold on the small hand but felt air, looking down only to see that New Zealand wasn't there. His eyes widened, scanning left and right, front, behind. There was no sign of the young island nation anywhere… except maybe across the street.

"Kiwi!" he called, breaking off into a run as he trained his eyes on the fleeing mop of light brown hair. Only a handful of people were walking on the same street but he was nervous when it came to bikes; here it was your job to avoid them not the other way around. He barely dodged one of them while he continued chasing after him and he only noticed how fast the other could run and avoid colliding with anyone.

He stopped in his tracks, breathing heavily and his hand on his chest, willing his heart to calm down. The younger finally stopped to stand before another boy, a bit older with darker brown hair but had the same eyes and eyebrows, a band aid on his nose. He had half the mind to scold him but the newcomer was already doing it for him.

"…I told you to follow me! Then when I turned you were gone! I almost got in trouble because of you!" he told him, voice rising slightly but he could see he was trying very hard not to get angry at New Zealand.

He felt the pull, and if his accent was anything to go by, this kid must be Australia. It surprised him however that instead of apologizing, New Zealand was yelling back. "Well I told you to wait but you didn't! I got lost 'cause of you!" he retorted, soft tell-tale sniffles following his outburst.

Australia frowned, scratching the back of his head. "..W-Well…y-yeah… I tried to look for ya Kiwi… but-" he trailed off, finally realizing Norway was there when he looked up. A frown formed on his lips and he stepped in front of him protectively. "..o-oi… w-whatcha lookin at?" he questioned, an arm shielding his younger brother.

Norway raised an eyebrow at him. The quiver in his voice did nothing to make him look threatening at all. New Zealand perked up and grinned, lowering the Australian's arm. "..That's big brother Norway, oz!" he piped up, running over to pull him towards them.

Australia pouted, crossing his arms. "..but I'm your big brother…" he muttered.

He couldn't help but chuckle, looking down at the pouting child. "…nice to meet you." He said, bending a little to shake his hand, which the other childishly ignored and continued pouting.

"Am I interrupting something?" asked a voice, catching the trio's attention just by the way the tone oozed with authority.

A blond young man dressed in a dark grey suit stood before them, the children's inherited features reflecting on his face but his eyes were more striking. He looked like he was in his early 20s but his demeanor told another story. He practically radiated with power typical to empires. Norway knew him well enough, pulling back his hand. "Good day, England…" he greeted.

The Englishman nodded in acknowledgement, shooting a glance at both boys who immediately scurried into the hotel lobby. "…would you like to stay for a while? An ice pack for that bruise?" he mused, gesturing to the hotel doors.

Norway took a brief moment to look at his disheveled appearance on the reflective glass, the bruise in question already darkening on his cheek. He nodded in response, following him quietly to the presidential suites at the topmost floor. The suite was divided into smaller rooms, housed a kitchen, a living room, a study, two bathrooms and a balcony. The boys have hidden in one of the rooms while the two 'adults' occupied the kitchen. England handed him an ice pack while the tea brewed, taking a seat across from him as Norway gently pressed the pack to his cheek, wincing slightly.

"I'd like to thank you for bringing New Zealand back to me. It was careless of me for not having someone to look after them… and god knows how irresponsible Australia is. I apologize for any trouble he has caused…" he said.

Norway shook his head, setting the ice pack down when he felt his cheek growing numb. "…He is such a good boy, well behaved and polite at a young age."

England nodded. "He is yet there is still so much more to be done. Also, I don't mean to pry… but what caused you to be in such a state?" he inquired, gesturing to his dirtied clothes and bruises.

Norway pursed his lips, choosing his words carefully. "It was Demark." He stated simply.

"I see… fighting with one another again are we?" he chuckled a bit but cleared his throat.

"I guess you could say that." said Norway, not wanting to expound any further.

"This doesn't have anything to do with my colony, is there?" he continued, pouring each of them a cup of tea and offered the sugar to him first after setting the cup and saucer in front of him. He was calm, which was slightly disconcerting.

Norway kept a straight face though he was already in water that he didn't want to tread on. "The boy is safe. That's all that matters." he replied, taking a sip of the tea and brushing the rest of the question away.

"Quite right, however, this incident made me realize that I am still too liberal with my colonies. They are vulnerable, something that should be addressed as soon as possible. Rest assured this won't happen ever again. There are very few countries like you nowadays…" he said.

Norway nodded once again, taking the time to enjoy the tea. He understood what he meant. Colonies are possessions, prizes to be won after gruesome battles. They can be easily compared to meat dropped into a den of ravenous wolves.

They spent a few moments in silence, both enjoying the drink. England finished his own cup first, wiping his lips with a table napkin and waited for him to finish before speaking. "…well then… I shouldn't be keeping you any longer than needed. I am at your debt. If you need anything, just contact me… within reason."

Ah yes, England's subtle way of telling you that you should leave because he's done with you.

They both stood, shaking hands before England took the time to escort the Nordic nation to the hotel lobby where they parted ways. Norway was about to cross the street when he heard the softest call, turning to see New Zealand running towards him with Australia trailing behind.

"What are you two doing here? England would be looking for you…again." he told them, ushering them to the side so that they weren't in the way of passerby.

Australia snorted. "…ah the pommy can wait. I just wanna… ya know… t-thank ya…and stuff…" he muttered, averting his eyes towards the road while his cheeks turned light pink. "…for finding Kiwi…."

Norway smiled while New Zealand giggled, smiling brightly at him. "We're still here for a few days. Will you and big brother Icey stop by to visit and maybe play tomorrow?" the boy asked, hope sparkling in his eyes.

"…I'm your big brother…" muttered a voice behind him.

His lips felt the need to stop smiling but he kept it anyway but looked apologetic. "…we'll see. We have work to do just like England. But we'll send a message if we get the chance." He told them, watching the smiles turn to frowns and then back to smiles. "…we still have to ask England for permission though."

"We'll leave him a note or somethin'. Just get us out of the stuffy hotel!" the Australian boy exclaimed, dramatizing how boring it was to stay there doing nothing but read England's books.

"Promise me you'll try, big brother!" the New Zealander begged, holding his hand. Norway ruffled both of their hairs, receiving a giggle and a scowl.

"I promise. Now you two head on back. It's getting late." He bade farewell and waited for them to return to the building before continuing his own trek back home.

"Lukas…"

He was walking across the meadow when he turned to look behind him, having sworn he heard a voice but saw no hair or hide of any of the two children. A few humans passed by the trail he was following but none of them seemed to have called him. He shrugged it off, walking a bit faster and a moment later he heard it again. He grew agitated, looking around for some prankster lurking behind the trees. The call grew louder and louder yet he couldn't locate the source.

"Lukas…"

There was no one near him as he neared the other side of the meadow, his pace quickening.

"Lukas!"

He sprinted, passing the pier that was now less crowded as the sun dipped into the horizon.

"LUKAS!"

When did he start running?

"LUKAS!"

* * *

><p>Norway jolted from his seat, scanning the room in slight panic until his eyes met Iceland's annoyed ones, the other huffing. "Pull your head out of the clouds would you? I've been trying to get you to snap out of it for the past five minutes…." His brother complained.<p>

His surroundings were suddenly filled with noise and he was no longer at his country but conference room in Germany with nations mulling about talking to one another. That's right, he was attending a world meeting. Every two years all nations are invited to attend especially if they had pressing issues to share with the rest of the world. Although it wasn't mandatory, plenty of nations come anyway; yet they were always incomplete with others not bothering to go simply because they had no reason to be there. Groups were obvious because of their seating arrangements. Usually it was easy to identify the different sections of the world as they tend to sit together and the Nordics were no exception.

He wondered why he had to daydream about that event. Perhaps he had nothing else to think about or maybe his guilty conscience wanted to remind him that he never got the chance to meet up with the boys after Denmark had imposed strict regulations on them and forced the two to live in his house for nearly a decade. The Dane was exceptionally cold to the brothers the entirety of their stay, making their lives hell in every possible way. Norway still had some scars on his body to remember those days. Denmark eventually mellowed out and let them go with a warning to watch out.

Norway stifled a yawn. The meeting would start shortly and still the front doors open once in a while to welcome new arrivals. One in particular caught his attention.

The young man, or teenager more like it, wore dress pants, a thin red sweater rolled up with the polo shirt underneath, a wool scarf draped on his neck to fend off the chilly air of Berlin. He was just as tall as him now, or a few centimeters shorter, yet his hair was still as curly as ever. His eyes were glaring at the nation next to him, a head taller than he, muscular and a wild air to him and dressed less formally but still passable for the event. Norway could never forget the two cowlicks sticking up in the air or the band aid on his nose. They seem to be arguing about something in hush tones that were gradually getting louder the more they fought.

"….I told you to take the next left!" the curly haired one hissed.

"….No ya didn't you told me it was to the right!"

Norway chuckled slightly, earning a curious look from Iceland as his brother following his line of sight. The Icelander blinked in surprise. They haven't seen those two in a long time. "…hey isn't that-"

"Australia! New Zealand! Stop fighting and take your seats if you please! " snapped England, shooting them a pointed glare as he took a moment from his conversation with Japan to scold his 'sons'.

The two muttered apologies, and a rather rude comment from Australia, and took their seats at the elongated table, still glaring at one another.

The clock in the room chimed and everyone took their seats, the last of the visitors scurrying to their places. Germany stood at the head of the table as the projector screen flashed the line-up of who will speak for the next 8 hours, relaying their agenda for the day.

Norway was distracted, eyes glued on the teen. It was strange to see him all grown up in such a short amount of time, remembering how he looked when he was just a boy. His seatmate looked even more bored than him, doodling who knows what on the notebook the Kiwi brought after he snatched it from him. The younger didn't mind, paying close attention to Greece's presentation. He does have one heck of a problem in his hands at the moment but probably not the best way to start a meeting; his voice low and dragging. Lucky for him he isn't tied to the bail out and can easily tune him out for the time being.

New Zealand felt that there were eyes on him, tearing his gaze from the screen to discreetly look around. It made him nervous; he hasn't done anything in particular and getting someone's attention all of a sudden was unnerving. His eyes eventually met the blue ones of the other male. They stared at each other from across the table, not minding if they looked weird to anyone who noticed their staring contest. Norway blinked first then hesitantly raised a hand to give a small wave. It was worth the try.

The teen's lips broke into a grin, realizing it was him, and gingerly waved back.

* * *

><p>They all stood simultaneously when it was time for lunch, stopping after China's presentation for a one hour break. It was difficult to wade through the crowd to get to the other side, but by the time Norway got there the duo was no longer there. Crestfallen, he left with Iceland to follow the rest of the Nordics but he broke off to head back to his room to pick up something he had left. He took longer than he should have while his mind went wandering; shuffling around his room to grab a handkerchief in case he would be in the same table as Denmark. No doubt it would be a messy table.<p>

"Lukas?"

He paused in action of closing the door to see the teen at the far end of the corridor near a flight of stairs carrying a shoulder bag.

"…hard to navigate this place huh…it took a while for me to find the European wing." he joked, approaching him with a cheerful smile on his face.

He now had a good look of the New Zealander as he stood before him. He was still thin but there's enough muscle here and there from playing sports, remembering how the boy had told him about the wonderful world of rugby while they baked cookies with Iceland. England wasn't kidding when he told him he would have to remedy his colonies'… or rather, ex-colonies, behavior and the teen was a lot more dignified than his older wilder brother.

"…um… you there, bru?" he questioned, tilting his head a bit.

"…Y-yeah… it's a labyrinth…" he managed to say, shaking his head at himself as he cleared his head. "I mean… it really is hard to find your way around here but it helps when they have a wing for each corner of the globe. Those aside, look at you. If it wasn't for your hair then I hardly would have recognized you, New Zealand."

New Zealand scratched his head, laughing softly. "Well it has been a while. But speaking of which…"

He took a moment to open his bag, fishing out a neatly folded long sleeved light blue sweater and handed it to him. Norway looked at him curiously, taking the clothing. "What is this for?" he asked. It was no surprise to him that when he unfolded it, it had sheep designs on it.

"I had it made just in case I get to see you. You were looking at something like that at the store we passed by when we were looking for pom, right? It's not accurate but the guy I asked the favor from thought it would be good to incorporate sheep on it." he explained, smiling sheepishly at the design. "It's for helping me get back to England when I was a kid… and protecting me from Denmark."

Norway chuckled, nodding. "He's better now compared to before, I assure you; more stupid than scary even. Though you didn't have to give me anything I appreciate it. Thank you. And now that you're here I guess I can finally apologize for not being able to visit before you had to leave and the time it took to say it to you personally."

New Zealand shook his head, batting the apology away. "No need for that. Besides, you have the time to make up for it now that I'm independent from England… somewhat. I can come and visit this time."

"Sounds good, Kiwi." replied Norway, reaching to shake his hand to seal the deal.

"Sweet as! Oh but um… I got to run, sorry. I told Aussie I'd catch up once I've given that to you. I can go look for you later if I can. It was a pleasure to meet you again. Please excuse me…" He said hastily, giving him another hopeful smile before turning to a sprint down the hall. "Catch ya later big brother!"

Norway raised a hand in acknowledgement; smiling down on the sweater once the teen disappeared then gazed at the door to their room in thought. When he got to the Nordic table Iceland had to ask where he got it and why he had a change of clothes.

* * *

><p>Notes:<p>

- Pom/pommy: One of Australia and New Zealand's nicknames for England

- How New Zealand runs: this is basically just an easter egg referring to rugby where they have to run fast and dodge the opposing team coming at them :3 so naturally New Zealand is good at that too~

- "bru": it's like Kiwi's way of saying "bro" xD

- "Sweet As": It's a slang in New Zealand for "awesome" or "cool"

Aaaand done! Ah hell that took some time. Sorry about that everyone ; u ; I did enjoy writing this though, all cutie feels slapping me like a tidal wave. But I hope you enjoyed this short fic ouo I will be working on the SuFin fic next so please take the time to read it! Thank you OuO

P.S: thinking of an epilogue for this actually...


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